MontanaJim
Service Attendant
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- Nov 14, 2011
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Ive thought about buying a scanner for my holiday trip. Are they worth the cost? if i buy one, can i get by with a cheap model?
should i buy a scanner for my trip?
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Save Our Trains Michigan
Conductor
I would just get a cheap one if you plan on just using it for this trip or when you take trips on Amtrak.it's nice to have a radio or scanner when riding Amtrak that way you know whats going on if your stoped.MontanaJim said:
MontanaJim
Service Attendant
- Joined
- Nov 14, 2011
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- 225
can you hear the engineers personal conversations? is there a lot of talking on them? Can you recommend a cheap model? If i get one, id buy some headphones too so i wouldnt disturb other passengers.
MontanaJim
Service Attendant
- Joined
- Nov 14, 2011
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- 225
will they say things like how fast the train is going, etc?
Save Our Trains Michigan
Conductor
You should go to Radio shack i think you can still buy handhelds as low as $99 or sometimes even lower.You will hear the engineer talking with the train dispatchers and the Conductor talking with the engineer as far as how fast you go some Hot Box detectors along the way may say the speed.MontanaJim said:
MontanaJim
Service Attendant
- Joined
- Nov 14, 2011
- Messages
- 225
hotbox detector?
MontanaJim
Service Attendant
- Joined
- Nov 14, 2011
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- 225
how do i know what frequency to set it at?
AMTRAK-P42
Conductor
A "Hotbox" detector is a detection device that scans the train as it passes. Through infrared technology it looks for excess amounts of heat or anything dragging behind or under the train. The boxes are animated, generally with a women’s or mans voice that reads the info back over the selected frequency to the train crew. If a train "trips" a detection device, the engineer must stop the train, and the conductor and AC must walk the train and visually search for the problem. Additionally, these boxes will often give you ambient temperature, speed, and total axle count of the train (# of wheel sets present on an a train).
In terms of scanner frequencies, head on over to Amtrak-on-line. All of your questions regarding scanners and frequencies will be answered.
Here is the link for OTOL info.
Additionaly, this same topic was discussed in great detail quite a few months ago, you might want to check it out and see if it anwsers anymore of your questions.
In terms of scanner frequencies, head on over to Amtrak-on-line. All of your questions regarding scanners and frequencies will be answered.
Here is the link for OTOL info.
Additionaly, this same topic was discussed in great detail quite a few months ago, you might want to check it out and see if it anwsers anymore of your questions.
Typically you will hear the engineer call out a particular signal as he comes to it. You might, for instance, hear: "Amtrak PO91 clear Altamonte" or "Amtrak PO91, Engine 67 South, Clear Altamonte"
That transmission tells whoever is listening that Amtrak's train number 91 has a clear (green) signal at Altamonte. The second of those two transmissions includes the information that the lead engine is #67, and that the train is headed south. Sometimes the engineer gives more information, and sometimes less. They always give at least the Amtrak train number, information as to what signal location they are coming to, and the condition of the signal (clear, stop, restricted, etc.) If they are on other than a single track, they will also include information as to which track they are on or which track they are switching to. Some engineers announce on the radio that they are arriving at a particular station - "Amtrak 67, PO91 South, arriving at the station, Winter Park". All of these transmission will be on "Road" channel, which varies depending on the area, or which subdivision or branch the train is traveling on. That infomation is avaialble on the web. Other transmissions may be heard on "dispatch" channel, which is where the dispatcher will give slow orders (where trackage may be damaged, or may have work crews doing maintenance on it, or that sort of thing), or the dispatcher may alert the crew to automatic crossings that have been reported as not working correctly, in which case the train may have to stop and deploy a member of the crew to act as a flagman, before entering the crossing. All that sort of thing usually is passed to the engineer by dispatch on a radio channel separate from "road".
Some of the DD's (defect detectors) give an approximate train length, and a count of the number of car and engine axles, plus other things like the speed of the train. Some give just length and # of axles. Those DD's transmit that information, as someone indicated earlier, by automated voice, on the "Road " Channel. As you travel along, you will hear the engineers call out the signals, and the conductor or AC will generally acknowledge those calls on his/her walkie-talkie. Also, the conductor has a complete list of slow orders, crossing gate problems, etc., that were in effect prior to the beginning of their run, and he/she will call those out to the engineer as they approach each one, helping to make sure that the engineer doesn't miss any and go blasting through a 15 mile-per-hour slow order at timetable speed, and that sort of thing. And any information that the engineer receives from Dispatch during the trip will then be relayed by the engineer to the conductor so that the conductor has a complete paper record of it. And while they are stopped at a station, you will hear the conductor, the engineer, the AC, the station personnel, etc., as they all go about their business at the station stop. You will also hear other trains, like freights, that the train may either overtake or pass going the other way. It's quite interesting. If you live in the general vicinity of a moderately busy railroad track, you can usually hear a good bit of this sort of thing from all the trains that pass by, and if you do that in advance, you will have a better understanding of things the first time you take it with you on a rail trip.
That transmission tells whoever is listening that Amtrak's train number 91 has a clear (green) signal at Altamonte. The second of those two transmissions includes the information that the lead engine is #67, and that the train is headed south. Sometimes the engineer gives more information, and sometimes less. They always give at least the Amtrak train number, information as to what signal location they are coming to, and the condition of the signal (clear, stop, restricted, etc.) If they are on other than a single track, they will also include information as to which track they are on or which track they are switching to. Some engineers announce on the radio that they are arriving at a particular station - "Amtrak 67, PO91 South, arriving at the station, Winter Park". All of these transmission will be on "Road" channel, which varies depending on the area, or which subdivision or branch the train is traveling on. That infomation is avaialble on the web. Other transmissions may be heard on "dispatch" channel, which is where the dispatcher will give slow orders (where trackage may be damaged, or may have work crews doing maintenance on it, or that sort of thing), or the dispatcher may alert the crew to automatic crossings that have been reported as not working correctly, in which case the train may have to stop and deploy a member of the crew to act as a flagman, before entering the crossing. All that sort of thing usually is passed to the engineer by dispatch on a radio channel separate from "road".
Some of the DD's (defect detectors) give an approximate train length, and a count of the number of car and engine axles, plus other things like the speed of the train. Some give just length and # of axles. Those DD's transmit that information, as someone indicated earlier, by automated voice, on the "Road " Channel. As you travel along, you will hear the engineers call out the signals, and the conductor or AC will generally acknowledge those calls on his/her walkie-talkie. Also, the conductor has a complete list of slow orders, crossing gate problems, etc., that were in effect prior to the beginning of their run, and he/she will call those out to the engineer as they approach each one, helping to make sure that the engineer doesn't miss any and go blasting through a 15 mile-per-hour slow order at timetable speed, and that sort of thing. And any information that the engineer receives from Dispatch during the trip will then be relayed by the engineer to the conductor so that the conductor has a complete paper record of it. And while they are stopped at a station, you will hear the conductor, the engineer, the AC, the station personnel, etc., as they all go about their business at the station stop. You will also hear other trains, like freights, that the train may either overtake or pass going the other way. It's quite interesting. If you live in the general vicinity of a moderately busy railroad track, you can usually hear a good bit of this sort of thing from all the trains that pass by, and if you do that in advance, you will have a better understanding of things the first time you take it with you on a rail trip.
MontanaJim
Service Attendant
- Joined
- Nov 14, 2011
- Messages
- 225
thanks for the info guys.
